May 2011
Jayne
Rumich
,
RN
Adolescent Medicine
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
,
PA
United States

 

 

 

Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis, Polycystic Kidney Disease, a GI bleed, a few PICU admissions, and calling Children’s Hospital her home for a little over two months...what more could a beautiful 13 year old girl want more than a liver and a kidney transplant to make her smile? Apparently, an evening out with her favorite nurse, Jayne, to see the Justin Bieber movie, and an hour of shopping at Forever 21 was what it took!

I’ve seen this girl walking around on our unit since December, and day by day, week by week, and month by month, she becomes more jaundiced and more clinically ill, as she waits for a transplant to turn her life around. She smiles, she laughs, and she knows how to make the most of being in the hospital, however, the smiles aren’t as often, she doesn’t laugh as much, and she spends a lot more time in her room now.

All of this changed the day that Jayne popped the question of “Do you like Justin Bieber?” Her eyes lit up, and she had the biggest smile on her face. Jayne took it upon herself to see if she was medically stable to leave the hospital on pass, and a week later she took her to see the Justin Bieber, "Never Say Never" movie, and went to Forever 21 for a fun shopping experience. I got to take care of her three days later, and as soon as I opened her door, she was sitting on her bed, smiling ear to ear, still excited over her evening out with Jayne. This was the first time in two months that I have ever seen her so happy.

Her whole demeanor has changed for the better, and by having a chance to get out of the hospital with her favorite nurse was exactly what she needed to help lift her spirits. After seeing her so happy, I told Jayne how much of a difference she made in her life, and how much of a difference I was able to see in her mood. “It was totally worth it. To see her smiling and laughing the way she did reminded me of why I work here.” Jayne said.

This is not the first time Jayne has touched the life of one of our patients, and I'm sure it’s not the last. She strives to put smiles on her patient's faces daily, and goes above and beyond constantly. She certainly deserves to be recognized with The DAISY Award.